Forget fame and fortune, well-being is topping the to-do lists for global travelers in our “always-on” culture, according to a global well-being survey conducted by Westin Hotels & Resorts. A whopping 70% of Indian survey respondents consider maintaining a balanced sense of well-being as a status symbol, outranking professional accomplishment (51%), being rich and famous (42%) and a healthy relationship (41%). How important is well-being in today’s stress-ridden society? More than 77% respondents believe that work-related stress can cloud their judgment for everyday life. 39% would participate in a digital detox by limiting technology access (computer, tablet, phone etc.), while one in every three respondents would turn down a pay raise to improve their overall well-being! A quarter of the respondents would even be willing to give up alcohol to achieve a balanced sense of well-being.

The Westin brand’s global well-being study was unveiled on the heels of the launch of the Westin Well-Being Movement, a multi-million dollar initiative designed to enhance the well-being of guests and associates around the world.   The survey sample consisted of more than 6,000 frequent global travelers from the U.S., China, Mexico, India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and includes insights from 1534 respondents from India.

Well-being… In Exchange for What?

Just how valuable is well-being? The results show that people are willing to go to great lengths to improve their overall well-being.

·         A majority (68%) would rather be fit than famous.

·         One in every three respondents (33%) would turn down a pay raise if it meant improving             overall well-being.

·         Gone are the days of self-medicating at happy hour after a stressful work day.  More than 25% of Indian travelers say they would give up alcohol to improve their overall well-being.

·         Assume the off position: 39% said a digital detox (limiting use of technology) would help improve their well-being.

Well-being Takes a Hit on the Road

Not surprisingly, competing priorities between work and personal life are one of the biggest barriers to well-being for a majority (54%) of Indian travelers.

An enormous figure (75%) are concerned about finding healthy food options while traveling away from home and one in every two (50%) consider it a very important criteria when it comes to deciding on a hotel destination.

More than half (53%) have cancelled their vacation due to a work related obligation.

When traveling, majority respondents would pay a premium to get a room on a quiet floor to get a good night’s sleep (54%), to be able to stay fit (52%), or for fresh, locally sourced food options (45%).

Survey Says: Stressed Out

Survey results also show that stress continues to be an enemy of achieving a balanced sense of well-being. Virtually no one escaped work stress over the past year with only 4% saying their stress levels decreased. In fact, 35% say their work stress levels have significantly increased over the past year. According to the survey, travelers continue to look to contribute to their well-being through a variety of activities to help them unwind after a stressful workday:

·         Sleep trumps sex when it comes to unwinding after a stressful workday – 38% say they would prefer sleep over sex.

·         The top three things that Indian respondents do to unwind after a stressful work day, are meditate or do yoga (46%), spend quality time with family (41%), or eat comfort food (39%).

·         Around 45% respondents said they need 2-3 breaks per day for their mental wellbeing.

·         More than a third said emotional (37%) and physical (33%) wellbeing is the toughest to maintain.

“The results of this survey made one thing crystal clear: citizens of the globe are ultra-aware of their state of well-being and are interested in what they can do to  maintain it and improve their health and balance  – even when faced with accelerated stress,” said Brian Povinelli, Global Brand Leader, Westin Hotels & Resorts. “Westin is proud to be the global leader in hospitality well-being, and we are excited to utilize these results to better meet the needs of our guests through our brand-new Westin Well-being Movement.”

Westin Hotels recently announced the global launch of the Westin Well-being Movement, an ambitious $15 million brand-wide campaign that will introduce a string of innovative partnerships and programs across Westin’s six brand pillars: Feel Well, Work Well, Move Well, Eat Well, Sleep Well and Play Well.

For more information on the Westin Well-being Movement and Westin Hotels, please visit www.Westin.com, the brand’s Facebook page or follow @Westin on Twitter.

The survey sample consisted of more than 6,000 frequent global travelers from the U.S., China, Mexico, India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).